Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1887-08-11
THE CHARGE AT cHlckAMAucA.
a Statement of What tho Soldiers pid
Tor Than ANisb.,.t O..I..-


a Statement OF What tho Soldiers Did
for Themselves Without Orders.
One of the splendid battles of the war
was that of Chattanooga. In The Century
Gen. Fullerton tells the story of the firing
of the signal guns to take the rifle pits MS
the base of the ridge occupied 10y Bragg,
and the rush OF 20, 900 men. The general
says: Tho enemy were thrown into con-
fusion and took precipitate flight up the
ridge" lie adds: MANY prisoners and a
large number of small arms were cap
tured." And now follows n clear state
mcnt of what the soldiers did for them
sclvcs-a NEST instructive and brilliant
passage:
The order Of the commanding general
had now been fully md most successfully
carried out. But it did not go far enough
To satisfy these brave men, who thought
the time had come TO finish the baltic of
Chickamauga. There was n halt of but
few minutes, TO take breath and to re-
form the lines; then, with n sudden i'm
pulse, all started up the side of the ridge.
Not n commanding officer had given the
order TO advance. The men who carried
the muskets had taken the matter into
their own hands, had moved of their own
accord Officers, catching their spirit,
first followed, then led. There was M
thought OF protecting TANKS, though the
cnemy's line could be seen stretching be-
You'd ON either side; there was no thought
of support or reserves.
las soon rs this movement was seen
from Orchard Knob Grant quickly turned
To Thomas, who stood by his side, and /
heard him angrily say: Thomas, who OF.
dered those men up the ridger Thomas
replied In his usual slow, quiet manner:
i don't know; did not Then. address.
10
You order them up, Granger No. said
Granger; they started up without orders
When those fellows get started all hell
can't stop them Gen. Grant said some.
thing to the effect that somebody would
suiier II IL did not turn out well, and then.
turning round, stoically watched the
ridge. He gave no further orders.
AS soon rs Granger had replied &c
THOMAS he turned TO me, his chief Of
staff, and said: Ride ut once to Wood and
then to Sheridan and ask them il they or.
dered their men up the ridge, and tell
them, II they can take IL, TO push ahead
AS was mounting Granger added: 1T Is
not over there, and you may not GET
through. i shall send Capt Avery &c
sheridan, and other officers after both of
you. AS fast Us my horse could cnrry
me rode first to Gen. Wood and delivered
the message. Il didn't order them up,'
said Weed; they started up on their own
account, and they are going up, too Tell
Granger, IL we are supported, we will take
and hold the ridger AS soon rs reached
Gen. Wood, Capt Avery got to Gen.
Sheridan and delivered his message. 4
didn't order them up said Sheridan,
but we are going TO take the ridge He
then asked Avery for his flask and waved
IL ut a group of Confederate officers stand.
ing just in front OF BraGg's headquarters
with the salutation, Here's at your Al
once two guns-the Lady Breckenridge
ana the Lady Buckner-in front OF
Bragg headquarters were fired at Sheri.
dan and the group of officers about him.
one shell struck so near as to throw dirt
over Sheridan and Avery. 'Ah,' said the
general, 'thnt is ungenerous; / shall take
those guns for that, and he did, and a
gool many more